


A Place for Healing

by gyroscopefour



Series: The Adventures of Altan Lavellan [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Asexual Character, Asexual Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Asexuality, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21824041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gyroscopefour/pseuds/gyroscopefour
Summary: Altan Lavellan struggles to deal with the aftermath of Adamant. Luckily, Dorian is there to help him recover.Can be read as a standalone.
Relationships: Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus, Male Lavellan/Dorian Pavus
Series: The Adventures of Altan Lavellan [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1551547
Kudos: 35





	1. Left at Skyhold

Dorian looked up at the chair across from him. The Inquisitor had curled up and fallen asleep. The permanent furrow in his brow had relaxed, making him look softer, sweeter. 

His vallaslin was distorted where his face was pressed to his knee. His spine curved sharply and his arms were tucked into his chest. 

Dorian set his book down and got up, pulling the soft throw blanket off the back of his chair and draping it over Altan. Altan startled awake at the touch.

“Shh, go back to sleep,” Dorian whispered, stroking his hair. “It’s alright.”

Altan sniffled and settled back down, pillowing his head on the armrest. He blinked up at Dorian once before he returned to sleep.

Dorian whispered to him for a moment longer until he heard a door downstairs. He went to the railing and leaned over. It was Josephine.

“Solas, have you seen the Inquisitor? He’s needed in the war room.”

Solas responded with a quiet “Not recently.”

Dorian returned to Altan’s side, brushing his fingertips over Altan’s shoulder. “Inquisitor?”

Altan groaned as he opened his eyes and sat up. “Yes?” His hand covered Dorian’s, keeping it on his shoulder.

“Josephine is looking for you downstairs.”

Altan smiled tiredly. “Thank you. I’ll go see what she needs.” He stood up, placing the blanket in the empty chair. He kissed the corner of Dorian’s mouth. “Bye.”

It was almost an hour before Altan returned, and he looked even more weary than before. 

“I’m going to Adamant with Hawke.”

Dorian stood up. “When?”

“Now.” 

“When will you return?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you going to be alright? You don’t have to leave now.”

Altan brought a hand up to rest gently on Dorian’s shoulder. “While that may be technically true, it’s better for everyone if I do everything I can right now.”

Dorian took Altan’s hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “Promise me you’ll be safe.”

“I will.”


	2. Back from the Fade

Altan returned from Adamant and went straight to his quarters. Dorian waited patiently for Altan to come visit him, but hours passed by and he did not come. Dorian stayed in the library until nearly midnight, reading by candlelight in the hopes that the Inquisitor would stop by.

On the second evening after the Inquisitor’s return, Dorian went to his quarters. As he was reaching for the door, it opened to reveal Leliana emerging from the other side. They both eyed each other appraisingly.

“The Inquisitor is not interested in receiving guests currently, but I will forward him your kind regards if you like.”

Dorian frowned at her. “No need to trouble yourself. It seems as if you were just leaving. I’m sure he’ll welcome my company.”

Leliana fixed him with a disapproving stare, but she let him through. Dorian headed up the stairs.

Dorian had seen the aftermath of Adamant in the people that had returned. He had seen Hawke, harrowed and exhausted. He had seen Sera, angry and hurt. And he had seen the Iron Bull, trauma seared into his eye. Solas was the only one seemingly unaffected. Dorian had listened to him speak of walking physically in the fade. His stomach turned whenever he thought of the experiences Solas described. Dorian made it up the stairs and knocked on the door. There was shuffling on the other side.

Altan opened the door, looking more haggard than Dorian had ever seen him.

“Oh. Hi.”

“Hello, Inquisitor. Are you going to invite me in?”

“Sure.” Altan stepped back to open the door.

A pit formed in Dorian’s stomach as he watched the blank expression on Altan’s face. He took Altan’s jaw in his hands and pushed the hair out of his face. His forehead was clear, only marked by his vallaslin. Relief flooded his body.

“What are you doing?”

Dorian kissed his forehead. “I was just scared. You didn’t react like normal. I thought-”

Altan managed a small smile. “Oh, Dorian, I’m not tranquil. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He opened his arms, and Dorian hugged him.

“Are you alright?”

“No,” Altan said into Dorian’s chest. “Not yet. I will be, but not yet.”

“Stroud didn’t come back.”

Altan looked up at Dorian with watery eyes. “Yeah.” He let go of Dorian and stepped away, scrubbing at his eyes. “Fuck, I thought I was done crying.”

“The others are still recovering too. It seems like it was hard on all of you.”

“I know you’re trying to help, but that makes me feel worse. Knowing I caused that. They didn’t deserve to get hurt.”

“Then maybe I can inform you that Solas is doing well.”

“He is?”

“Yes. He’s been very generous with sharing his experiences. He has helped Josephine with her reports and informed everyone about the fade. He’s been willing to answer questions, and it’s kept nosy people away from Sera, Bull, and Hawke.”

Altan sighed. Some of the tension left his shoulders. “Good. That’s good to hear.”

“Do you want to go to dinner with me?”

“Can you guarantee no one will talk to me?”

“Well, I’d rather like to talk to you.”

“I don’t mean you. Just, I don’t want to talk about Adamant.”

“Maybe I’ll bring dinner up here to you then. No one else to bother you.”

Altan smiled. “I like that idea.”


	3. Sweet Like You

Altan had just finished lighting the candles when Dorian returned with a basket of food. 

“Did you do all this for me? It’s so romantic.”

Altan looked down at the spread of picnic blankets and candles. “I was going for cute, but I’m glad you like it.”

Dorian wrapped him up in a hug and kissed him. “You are incredible.”

Altan wrapped his arms around Dorian’s neck and pulled him close. Dorian nipped at Altan’s lips. 

“Can we eat now?” Altan asked.

“Here.” Dorian picked up a small pastry and put it to Altan’s lips. 

“Thank you.” Altan chewed and his face lit up. “Wow! That’s amazing.”

“I picked it for you. And me. But mostly for you.”

Altan guided Dorian to sit on the blankets and tucked himself into his side. “Did you bring wine?”

“Antivan white.”

Altan gasped. “My favorite!”

“Is it? What a coincidence.” Dorian poured them both glasses. He had gone to the Herald’s Rest to ask about what Altan normally preferred to drink. The bartend had been surprisingly unhelpful, but Bull had offered some insight. Dorian reminded himself to thank Bull later. “So how are you feeling?”

Altan drained his wine glass and held it out to Dorian for a refill. “Not talking about Adamant, remember? Try something else.”

“Alright.” Dorian’s mustache twitched. “Something I’ve been meaning to ask you. What is your selection criteria for your inner circle?”

“My inner circle of friends or my inner circle here?”

“I meant here, but I wouldn’t mind hearing the answer to both.”

“For my inner circle in the Inquisition, I look for a strong sense of integrity. It’s important that my team is filled with people who want to do the right thing. The other thing I look for is diversity. Not everyone has the same idea of what ‘right’ is, and I want to listen to different perspectives. Also, needing to argue and justify my decisions to people who don’t always agree has made me more deliberate about what I choose to do.”

“That’s a far more sophisticated answer than I expected.”

Altan snuggled deeper into his side, taking a few of the small pastries from the basket. “Well, for my personal friends, I just look for kindness. I want to be surrounded by people who are good and happy.”

Dorian kissed his head. “That’s a good answer.”

“What about you? How do you choose your friends?”

“To be honest, I haven’t had that many friends. I’d say the few friends I have had probably chose me more than I chose them.”

“So your criteria is people who like you?”

“I suppose. I am a bit of an acquired taste.”

“I don’t think so. I liked you the minute I met you.”

“Really?”

“Well… Maybe not in the first minute. But after our first conversation, I knew I wanted you on my team. And after the whole time traveling nonsense? That was a bonding experience if I’ve ever seen one.”

Dorian chuckled. “That is true.”

“Tell me about Felix?”

“You would have liked him. He was my favorite person in all Thedas. So smart and kind. He was so full of life, always bringing me on adventures and giving me books to read. He made me a better person.”

“He was your gardener,” Altan said softly.

“My what?”

“It’s a Dalish concept. Essentially, everyone has a garden, and gardeners are the people who come into your life and cultivate your garden. They weed out the bad parts of your personality and nurture the best parts of you. They put time and effort into helping you become beautiful. They are proud of your achievements because you can share them together.”

Dorian nodded. “That’s a lovely concept. I’d say Felix was indeed a gardener in my life.”

Altan wanted to tell Dorian he was a gardener in his life, but he didn’t want to diminish the connection Dorian felt to Felix. He kept his mouth closed and leaned into Dorian’s steady warmth. 

“Watch your sleeve.” Dorian caught Altan’s arm as he reached for the basket, directing him away from the candles.

“Thank you.”

“You like those little pastries?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“They are very sweet, just like you.”

Altan tilted his head back and sat up straighter so Dorian would kiss him. He tasted like the wine.


End file.
